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Louisiana Flooding Survivors Receive FEMA Rebuilding Advice at Area Home Improvement Stores

BATON ROUGE, La. — As Louisianans repair and rebuild their homes damaged by August’s floods, FEMA and local home improvement stores have teamed up to provide free information, tips and literature on making homes safer and stronger.

FEMA mitigation specialists will be on hand at area home improvement stores from Sept. 12 through Sept. 24. They will be available to answer questions, offer tips and discuss proven methods for preventing and mitigating damage from future disasters. Most of the information is intended for do-it-yourself work and general contractors.

FEMA advisors will be on hand at information points in the following stores from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Saturday. The advice stand is closed on Sunday.

THE HOME DEPOT at the following locations:
3721 Ambassador Caffery Blvd.
Lafayette, La. 70501

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18139 Highland Rd.
Baton Rouge, La. 70810

143 N. Shore Blvd.
Slidell, La. 70460

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5000 Masonic Drive
Alexandria, La. 71301

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LOWE’S
2700 Charity St.
Abbeville, La. 70510

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STINE LUMBER COMPANY
29200 Walker Rd. South
Walker, La. 70785

Free reference booklets, in English and Spanish, with information on protecting your home from flood damage, will be available at all locations.

More information about mitigation can be found at http://www.fema.gov/louisiana-disaster-mitigation. Additional information on Louisiana’s disaster recovery can be found by visiting fema.gov/disaster/4277, twitter.com/femaregion6, twitter.com/FEMA, facebook.com/FEMA, fema.gov/blog.

Download the FEMA mobile app for disaster resources, weather alerts, and safety tips. The app provides a customizable checklist of emergency supplies, maps of open shelters and weather alerts from the National Weather Service for up to five locations across the nation. The latest feature of the app allows you to send notifications to your device to remind you to take important steps to prepare your home and family for disasters. Go to Ready.gov for more detail.

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Louisiana Flooding Survivors Receive FEMA Rebuilding Advice at Area Home Improvement Stores

Volunteer Organizations Aid Louisiana’s Recovery

BATON ROUGE, La. – September 11 marks the National Day of Service and Remembrance enacted by Congress in 2009 to inspire Americans to engage in charitable activities. The observance was started after 9-11 to create one of the largest days of charitable acts with citizens coming together the way they did after the attack.

In Louisiana, voluntary agencies have been very active and will continue to provide a wide range of assistance to the many who have experienced damage, including flood debris clean-up, shelter, food, clothing, counseling, home repairs and reconstruction, and help for other unmet needs on a case-by-case basis. Louisiana disaster survivors can call 2-1-1 or visit http://www.louisiana211.org/ to request help with clean-up or other available services.

The Federal Emergency Management Agency and the Louisiana Governor’s Office of Homeland Security and Emergency Preparedness (http://gohsep.la.gov/) partner with a variety of nonprofit groups to provide assistance to disaster survivors. These organizations have had a key role in the disaster response here. They are financed through charitable donations, not by the federal government, and their volunteers do much of the work.

FEMA’s Voluntary Agency Liaisons assist these volunteer, faith-based and community organizations with coordinating federal programs and managing resources. They can identify special-needs populations and help survivors avoid duplication of benefits. Liaisons also guide and promote long-term recovery to restore normalcy to the affected communities.

Volunteer agencies continue to help storm and flood victims in all affected parishes, regardless of their federal-declaration status. If you want to know more about the work of the national and local volunteer groups you may visit www.nvoad.org or lavoad.org.

Applying with FEMA is a separate process from registering with a volunteer organization. If you suffered damages and losses from the August 11-31 weather events you should apply for FEMA assistance as soon as possible. Apply at www.disasterassistance.gov or by calling 800-621-FEMA (3362) or (TTY) 800-462-7585. If you use 711-Relay or Video Relay Services call 800-621-3362 to register. You can find the FEMA mobile app at www.Ready.gov.

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Volunteer Organizations Aid Louisiana’s Recovery

Disaster Recovery Center to Open in West Baton Rouge Parish for Louisiana Survivors

BATON ROUGE, La. – A disaster recovery center is opening Saturday, Sept. 10, in West Baton Rouge Parish to assist Louisiana flood survivors. The center is open 8 a.m. to 6 p.m., seven days a week, until further notice.

The disaster recovery center is operating at the following address and hours:

West Baton Rouge Parish

Location: LSU Center at the 4-H Compound

210 Turner Drive

Port Allen, LA 70767

Hours: 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. (Monday through Sunday)

Survivors may locate other centers near them by visiting fema.gov/disaster-recovery-centers, calling the FEMA Helpline at 800-621-3362, or downloading the FEMA mobile app.

To register with FEMA, go online with any computer, smartphone or tablet to DisasterAssistance.gov, call the FEMA Helpline, or download the FEMA mobile app. Help is available in most languages and the FEMA Helpline is open 6 a.m. to 10 p.m., seven days a week, until further notice.

Disaster recovery centers are staffed by representatives from the Governor’s Office of Homeland Security and Emergency Preparedness, the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA), National Flood Insurance Program specialists, volunteer groups and other agencies. These representatives are available to provide information about disaster assistance, flood insurance, personal and property risk reduction and low-interest disaster loans for homeowners, renters and businesses. They can also help survivors apply for federal disaster assistance.

Disaster Survivor Assistance (DSA) teams are canvassing many affected areas and are able to register people for FEMA assistance if needed. Sometimes these teams will remain in certain locations convenient to the community, such as a library or mayor’s office. When residents require further assistance the teams may refer them to a disaster recovery center nearby.

It is not necessary to visit a center to register for and receive federal disaster assistance. If possible, survivors should register with FEMA before visiting a recovery center.

Disaster survivors who are deaf, hard of hearing or have a speech disability and use a TTY may call 800-462-7585 to register. Those who use 711 or Video Relay Service or require accommodations while visiting a center may call 800-621-3362. All disaster recovery centers are accessible and equipped with tools to accommodate disaster survivors who need disability-related communication aids. Each disaster recovery center has assistive technologies for people with disabilities. To arrange to have an ASL interpreter at the DRC when you visit, call 225-382-1739.

Low-interest disaster loans from the SBA are available for businesses of all sizes including landlords, private nonprofit organizations, homeowners and renters. Disaster loans cover losses not fully compensated by insurance or other recoveries.

For more information, applicants may contact the SBA’s Disaster Assistance Customer Service Center by calling 800-659-2955, emailing DisasterCustomerService@sba.gov or visiting the SBA’s website at sba.gov/disaster. Deaf and hard-of-hearing individuals may call 800-877-8339.

For information call the FEMA helpline at 800-621-3362, download the FEMA mobile app, or go online to www.DisasterAssistance.gov or www.fema.gov/disaster/4277.

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Disaster Recovery Center to Open in West Baton Rouge Parish for Louisiana Survivors

Thirty Seconds Now, Could Save a Life Later

Thirty Seconds Now, Could Save a Life Later

Take action for National Preparedness Month, Download the FEMA App

PHILADELPHIA – September is National Preparedness Month! Are you ready for when disaster strikes? What if there were an app to make you more aware of severe weather, help you prepare for an emergency and ultimately make you, your friends and family more disaster ready? Would you download it?

The FEMA app is free to download on the App Store and Google Play. It’s packed with features that make it useful and informative too, and allows you to:

Get weather alerts;
Get safety tips;
Prepare an emergency kit checklist; and
Get safety reminders.

Every minute counts when severe weather threatens. Nearly half a million Americans already have the FEMA app. So take 30 seconds today and download the FEMA App for free on the App Store and Google Play.

Be a Leader. You can help make difference and lead your family, organization, or business to take action and prepare. Whether it’s during the morning meeting at your office, at lunch with a friend, or at dinner with your family; take 30 seconds in your day to encouraging others to download the App and make a difference in their future!

On any given day, you may just find it to be the most important app on your phone.

FEMA’s mission is to support our citizens and first responders to ensure that as a nation we work together to build, sustain, and improve our capability to prepare for, protect against, respond to, recover from, and mitigate all hazards. FEMA Region III’s jurisdiction includes Delaware, the District of Columbia, Maryland, Pennsylvania, Virginia and West Virginia. Stay informed of FEMA’s activities online: videos and podcasts are available at fema.gov/medialibrary and youtube.com/fema. Follow us on Twitter at twitter.com/femaregion3.

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Thirty Seconds Now, Could Save a Life Later

Mobile Disaster Recovery Center to Open in Evangeline Parish for Louisiana Survivors

Mobile Disaster Recovery Center to Open in Evangeline Parish for Louisiana Survivors

BATON ROUGE, La. – A mobile disaster recovery center is opening Sunday, Sept. 4, in Evangeline Parish to assist Louisiana flood survivors. The center is open 8 a.m. to 6 p.m., seven days a week, until further notice.

The mobile disaster recovery center is operating at the following address and hours:

Evangeline Parish

Location: North Side Civic Center

704 N. Soileau Street

Ville Platte, LA 70586

Hours: 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. (Monday through Sunday)

Survivors may locate other centers near them by visiting fema.gov/disaster-recovery-centers, calling the FEMA Helpline at 800-621-3362, or downloading the FEMA mobile app.

Disaster recovery centers are staffed by representatives from the Governor’s Office of Homeland Security and Emergency Preparedness, the Federal Emergency Management Agency, U.S. Small Business Administration, National Flood Insurance Program specialists, volunteer groups and other agencies. These representatives are available to provide information about disaster assistance, flood insurance, personal and property risk reduction and low-interest disaster loans for homeowners, renters and businesses. They can also help survivors apply for federal disaster assistance.

It is not necessary to visit a center to register for and receive federal disaster assistance. If possible, survivors should register with FEMA before visiting a recovery center.

For information call the FEMA helpline at 800-621-3362, download the FEMA mobile app, or go online to www.DisasterAssistance.gov or www.fema.gov/disaster/4277.

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Mobile Disaster Recovery Center to Open in Evangeline Parish for Louisiana Survivors

FEMA Continues to Closely Monitor Hermine and Lester

FEMA Urges Residents in Potentially Affected Areas to Take Direction from State, Local, and Tribal Officials

WASHINGTON – FEMA, through its regional offices in Atlanta, Georgia, and Oakland, California, and its Pacific Area Office in Honolulu, Hawaii, continues to closely monitor Tropical Storm Hermine and Hurricane Lester. FEMA remains in close coordination with state emergency managers in Hawaii, Florida, Georgia, the Carolinas, and other potentially impacted Atlantic states, as well as our federal partners at the National Weather Service forecast offices.

Tropical Storm Hermine

According to the National Weather Service, Tropical Storm Hermine is moving north-northeast of Tallahassee, Florida. The center of Hermine will move farther inland across southeastern Georgia today and into the Carolinas tonight and Saturday. Tropical storm conditions are expected to begin along the Atlantic coast later today, and spread northward through the weekend.

Tropical Storm Hermine may cause localized flooding and flash flooding possible, along with storm surge and tide could produce potentially life-threatening inundation along the Florida Gulf Coast up through the Carolinas. Hermine is expected to produce rainfall totals of five to ten inches over the southeastern. United States from northwest Florida through southern and eastern Georgia. There are possible isolated maximum rainfall amount of 15 inches.

FEMA liaison officers are deployed to emergency operations centers in Florida, Georgia, North Carolina, and South Carolina to help coordinate any requests for federal assistance. A FEMA liaison officer will arrive in the Virginia Emergency Operations Center Saturday morning. A FEMA Incident Management Assistance Team (IMAT) is deployed to the Florida Emergency Operations Center in Tallahassee to support response activities and ensure there are no unmet needs.

FEMA’s Regional Response Coordination Center (RRCC) in Atlanta, Georgia, is activated to help coordinate any requests for assistance from potentially impacted states and tribes. One FEMA IMAT is deployed to the RRCC to support response activities and ensure there are no unmet needs. Through the National Business Emergency Operations Center (NBEOC), FEMA is actively engaged with national level private sector partners across the nation as businesses also prepare for the storm system threatening the Southeast United States.

Hurricane Lester

According to the National Weather Service, Hurricane Lester was located about 515 miles east of Hilo, Hawaii, with maximum sustained winds were 110 mph. The hurricane is moving west-northwest with gradual weakening expected over the next several days. A Hurricane Watch is in effect for Hawaii County, Maui County and Oahu. Hurricane conditions are possible over Hawaii and Maui County Friday night into Saturday, and over Oahu Saturday and Sunday night. Heavy rainfall may affect the Big Island and Maui into Saturday and Oahu Saturday and Saturday night.

FEMA is working with its federal partners at the National Response Coordination Center in Washington, D.C. and the RRCC in Oakland, California, to help coordinate any requests for assistance from Hawaii. These centers bring together partners from the federal family to closely coordinate federal resources that may be requested from the state.

FEMA established a Federal Staging Area in Kona, Hawaii, to pre-position supplies closer to impacted areas, should they be needed and requested by the state, for distribution by state and local officials. 45,000 liters; 2 generators; over 37,000 meals, and other materials are in the Kona Staging Area. One IMAT is on the ground in FEMA’s Pacific Area Office in Honolulu, Hawaii, to support response activities and ensure there are no unmet needs.

An additional IMAT has been placed on alert, and is prepared to deploy to Hawaii if necessary. Mobile Emergency Response Support (MERS) personnel and pre-positioned communications caches are deploying to the FEMA Pacific Area Office at Fort Shafter, in Honolulu, to support emergency response communications needs. Through the NBEOC, FEMA is actively engaged with national level private sector partners across the nation as businesses also prepare for the storm systems threatening Hawaii.

Safety Tips

FEMA encourages residents and visitors in areas potentially affected by Tropical Storm Hermine or Hurricane Lester to monitor local radio or TV stations for updated emergency information, and follow the instructions of state, local, and tribal officials.

Storm tracks can change quickly and unexpectedly, so coastal residents should monitor weather conditions and take steps to prepare their home, family, and business. Those in potentially affected areas should be familiar with evacuation routes, have a communications plan, keep a battery-powered radio handy and have a plan for their pets.

There is the potential for flooding and storm surge with Tropical Storm Hermine and Hurricane Lester. Driving through a flooded area can be extremely hazardous. Nearly half of all flash flood deaths happen in vehicles. Stay safe when in your car, by watching for flooding in low lying areas, at bridges and highway dips. As little as six inches of water may cause you to lose control of your vehicle. Storm surge poses a significant threat for drowning and can sometimes cut off evacuation routes, so do not delay leaving if an evacuation is ordered for your area.

Visit www.ready.gov or www.listo.gov to learn more about preparing for hurricanes and severe weather.

FEMA made available time lapse footage of the NRCC in Washington, D.C., which can be viewed here: http://www.fema.gov/media-library/assets/videos/123252.

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FEMA’s mission is to support our citizens and first responders to ensure that as a nation we work together to build, sustain and improve our capability to prepare for, protect against, respond to, recover from and mitigate all hazards.

Follow FEMA online at www.fema.gov/blog, www.twitter.com/fema, www.facebook.com/fema and www.youtube.com/fema. Also, follow Administrator Craig Fugate’s activities at www.twitter.com/craigatfema.

The social media links provided are for reference only. FEMA does not endorse any non-government websites, companies or applications.

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FEMA Continues to Closely Monitor Hermine and Lester

Survivors in St. James and West Baton Rouge Parishes May Receive FEMA Help, Urged to Register

BATON ROUGE, La. – Survivors in 22 Louisiana parishes may now be eligible for federal disaster assistance as a result of the continuing severe storms and floods that began Aug. 11.

St. James and West Baton Rouge parish disaster survivors may now be eligible for federal disaster assistance. They join Acadia, Ascension, Avoyelles, East Baton Rouge, East Feliciana, Evangeline, Iberia, Iberville, Jefferson Davis, Lafayette, Livingston, Point Coupee, St. Helena, St. Landry, St. Martin, St. Tammany, Tangipahoa, Vermilion, Washington and West Feliciana as parishes where survivors may receive FEMA help.

Apply for FEMA help three ways:

Log onto DisasterAssistance.gov with any computer, smartphone or tablet.
Download and use the FEMA mobile app.
If you cannot access the website or FEMA app call the FEMA helpline at 800-621- 3362. If you use TTY, call 800-462-7585. If you use 711 or Video Relay Service (VRS), call 800-621-3362.

You don’t need to register again if you’re a survivor in St. James or West Baton Rouge parish who has already done so. The toll-free telephone numbers are operating from 6 a.m. to 10 p.m. seven days a week until further notice.

FEMA never charges fees to apply for or receive federal disaster assistance. State and federal officials encourage you to be alert for scams and report any suspicious activity by calling the Louisiana Attorney General’s Consumer Protection hotline at 800-351-4889.

Assistance provided by FEMA for homeowners and renters can include grants for rent, temporary housing and home repairs to their primary residence, as well as other serious disaster-related needs, such as medical and dental expenses or funeral and burial costs.

In addition, Assumption, Cameron, St. Charles, St. James, St. John the Baptist and West Baton Rouge parishes have joined Acadia, Ascension, Avoyelles, East Baton Rouge, East Feliciana, Evangeline, Iberia, Iberville, Jefferson Davis, Lafayette, Livingston, Point Coupee, St. Helena, St. Landry, St. Martin, St. Tammany, Tangipahoa, Vermilion, Washington and West Feliciana as parishes eligible for FEMA Public Assistance.

Low-interest disaster loans from the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) also may be available to help individuals and business owners recover from the effects of the disaster. SBA helps businesses of all sizes, private nonprofit organizations, homeowners and renters fund repairs or rebuilding efforts and cover the cost of replacing lost or disaster-damaged personal property. The loans cover losses not fully compensated by insurance or other recoveries and do not duplicate benefits of other agencies or organizations.

Homeowners and renters should apply as quickly as they can, even if they have insurance. FEMA cannot duplicate insurance payments but underinsured applicants may receive help after their insurance claims have been settled.

Residents are urged to contact their insurance company to file their flood insurance claims. For flood insurance policyholders who may have questions, FEMA has streamlined its process to better service claims and answer questions. Policyholders may call 800-621- 3362 Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. and select Option 2. Call center staff are available to assist policyholders with information regarding their policy, offer technical flood guidance to aid in recovery, and respond to general as well as complicated questions about the NFIP. Policyholders with questions specifically about an insurance claim can be transferred to their insurance carrier for additional assistance.

Download and use the FEMA mobile app for disaster resources, weather alerts, and safety tips. You can also check the status of your FEMA help application. The app provides a customizable checklist of emergency supplies, maps of open shelters and weather alerts from the National Weather Service for up to five locations across the Nation. The latest feature of the app allows you to send notifications to your device to remind you to take important steps to prepare your home and family for disasters. Go to Ready.gov for more details.

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We urge everyone to continue to use caution in areas where floodwaters remain. Monitor DOTD’s www.511la.org website for updated road closure information. Look for advisories from your local authorities and emergency managers. You can find the latest information on the state’s response at www.emergency.la.gov. GOHSEP also provides information on Facebook and Twitter. You can receive emergency alerts on most smartphones and tablets by downloading the new Alert FM App. It is free for basic service. You can also download the Louisiana Emergency Preparedness Guide and find other information at www.getagameplan.org.

Disaster recovery assistance is available without regard to race, color, religion, nationality, sex, age, disability, English proficiency or economic status. If you or someone you know has been discriminated against, call FEMA toll-free at 800-621-FEMA (3362). For TTY call 800-462-7585.

FEMA’s mission is to support our citizens and first responders to ensure that as a nation we work together to build, sustain, and improve our capability to prepare for, protect against, respond to,

recover from, and mitigate all hazards. Follow us on Twitter at https://twitter.com/femaregion6 and the FEMA Blog at http://blog.fema.gov.

The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) is the federal government’s primary source of money for the long-term rebuilding of disaster-damaged private property. SBA helps businesses of all sizes, private non-profit organizations, homeowners and renters fund repairs or rebuilding efforts and cover the cost of replacing lost or disaster-damaged personal property. These disaster loans cover losses not fully compensated by insurance or other recoveries and do not duplicate benefits of other agencies or organizations. For more information, applicants may contact SBA’s Disaster Assistance Customer Service Center by calling (800) 659-2955, emailing disastercustomerservice@sba.gov, or visiting SBA’s website at SBA.gov/disaster Deaf and hard-of- hearing individuals may call (800) 877-8339.

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Survivors in St. James and West Baton Rouge Parishes May Receive FEMA Help, Urged to Register

Free Legal Services Available To Disaster Survivors

BATON ROUGE, La. – Free disaster-related legal advice is available to low-income Louisiana flood survivors through a partnership among the Louisiana State Bar Association, the Louisiana Civil Justice Center, the American Bar Association Young Lawyers Division and the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA).

Low-income survivors facing legal issues may call the Legal Services hotline, 800-310-7029, between 9 a.m. and 4 p.m., Monday through Friday. Voice mail is available 24/7 and messages are generally returned the next business day. Examples of legal assistance available include:

Assistance with securing FEMA and other benefits available to disaster survivors;
Assistance with life, medical and property insurance claims;
Help with home repair contracts and contractors;
Replacement of wills and other important legal documents that were destroyed;
Assisting in consumer protection matters, remedies and procedures;
Counseling on mortgage-foreclosure problems; and
Counseling on landlord/tenant problems.

Survivors should be aware that there are some limitations. For example, assistance is not available for cases where fees could be paid as part of a court settlement. Those cases will be referred to a lawyer-referral service.

To register with FEMA, go online to DisasterAssistance.gov, call the FEMA helpline, 800-621-3362 or download the FEMA mobile app. Help is available in most languages and phone lines are open 6 a.m. to 10 p.m. seven days a week until further notice.

Disaster survivors who are deaf, hard-of-hearing or have a speech disability and use a TTY may call 800-462-7585 to register. Those who use 711 or Video Relay Service or require accommodations while visiting a Disaster Recovery Center may call 800-621-3362. All Disaster Recovery Centers are accessible and equipped with tools to accommodate disaster survivors who need disability-related communication aids. Each Disaster Recovery Center has assistive technologies for people with disabilities. To arrange to have an American Sign Language interpreter at the Disaster Recovery Center when you visit, call 225-382-1739.

For information call the FEMA helpline at 800-621-3362 or go online to www.DisasterAssistance.gov or www.fema.gov/disaster/4277.

Download the FEMA mobile app for disaster resources, weather alerts, and safety tips. The app provides a customizable checklist of emergency supplies, maps of open shelters and weather alerts from the National Weather Service for up to five locations across the Nation. The latest feature of the app allows you to send notifications to your device to remind you to take important steps to prepare your home and family for disasters. Go to Ready.gov for more details.

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Free Legal Services Available To Disaster Survivors

Flood Insurance Settlements to Texans Top $1 Billion

AUSTIN, Texas—More than 22,000 Texans battered by flooding over the last two years settled claims with the National Flood Insurance Program for over $1 billion, disaster recovery officials said today.

Severe storms and flooding over the last two years resulted in six federal disaster declarations in Texas, affecting more than half of the state’s 254 counties, many on multiple occasions. Residents are still picking up the pieces from flood-related disaster declarations in March, April and May-June this year.

About 100,000 individuals and families registered with FEMA for federal assistance during the 2015-2016 recovery. Only a small percentage received the agency’s maximum award of $33,000, for losses likely much greater. The average FEMA grant for the May-June floods was about $6,800.

Those with flood insurance and who filed claims in the last two years received an average settlement of about $57,000. There doesn’t have to be a federal disaster declaration to file a claim; in fact, most floods do not result in disaster declarations.

Most Texans Lack Flood Policies

Flooding is the most common U.S. disaster as well as the costliest natural disaster. Yet most Texans lack flood insurance, according to the Insurance Council of Texas. Less than 25 percent of the state’s homeowners are covered, despite the risks.

Homeowners insurance doesn’t cover flood damage, but the NFIP does. Funded by FEMA, NFIP makes flood insurance available for communities that participate in the program, regardless of whether the area is high, low, or medium risk. Check the Community Status Book to see if your community is already an NFIP partner.

NFIP carries a maximum coverage of $250,000 for homes and $100,000 for contents. Business coverage is a maximum of $500,000 for building and $500,000 for contents.

In nearly all cases, it takes 30 days after purchase for a policy to take effect, so it’s important to buy insurance before the storm approaches and the floodwaters start to rise.

To learn more about any property’s flood risk, estimate an NFIP premium or locate an insurance agent who sells flood insurance, go to www.floodsmart.gov. For flood information and safety tips visit www.ready.gov/floods. Find the Spanish-language website at www.listo.gov.

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September is National Preparedness Month. Feel free to share with your audience important tips from www.Ready.gov to prepare, plan and stay informed during any emergency.

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Flood Insurance Settlements to Texans Top $1 Billion

Don’t Wait. Prepare for Emergencies Today.

ATLANTA, Ga. — September is National Preparedness Month and as tropical storm activity increases this week, FEMA encourages residents in the Southeast to make disaster preparedness a priority.

“National Preparedness Month focuses on the need to be ready for disasters and emergencies,” said FEMA Region IV Regional Administrator Gracia Szczech. “September is also the peak of hurricane season, so preparing now is even more critical for families and businesses in the Southeast.”

Across the nation, disasters are occurring with greater frequency, and are larger and more complex. Severe weather and other emergencies can strike with little or no warning and can have disastrous impacts. Already this year, states across the Southeast have experienced destructive severe storms and flooding. Seven named tropical cyclones have formed this summer, and they serve as a reminder to be ready for hurricanes.

“Make preparedness a part of your everyday life,” said Szczech. “Prepare for the hazards that are most likely to occur where you live and work. Talk to your family and make a family disaster plan. But don’t stop there. Practice your plan. Practicing in advance of a disaster makes you better prepared to handle any emergency you may encounter.”

Download and use the free FEMA app, which provides valuable safety tips to help you prepare for and recover from more than 20 natural and man-made hazards. The FEMA app lets you receive weather alerts from the National Weather Service for up to five locations across the nation, making it easy to follow severe weather that may be threatening your family and friends.

The app also provides family communication plans, a customizable checklist of emergency supplies, and maps of open shelters and disaster recovery centers. The app is available on the Apple App Store and Google Play.

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Don’t Wait. Prepare for Emergencies Today.

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